Blazes to burn 'for days, if not weeks' in Victoria, NSW hits 43C — as it happened

Thousands of firefighters supported by emergency services and volunteers are combating fires across the state, with authorities confirming "well over" 300,000 hectares have been burnt across Victoria.

The state's premier Jacinta Allan is speaking to reporters now, saying as of this morning, around 38,000 households are without power.

"There continues to be ten major fire fronts burning across Victoria, but they're not the only fires in the landscape across the state," she said.

"There are another 20 fires in local communities that need to be closely monitored."

— Cameron Carr

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sent his thoughts to Victorians hearing the "devastating news that they’ve lost their homes."

Speaking from the National Situation Room in Canberra, Albanese praised emergency services workers and confirmed a request has been made for aircraft support for impacted areas.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government is working closely with state premiers and emergency services. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

"My thoughts are with the residents of these communities at this very difficult time," he said.

"This will be incredibly traumatic for them and one of the issues that needs to be dealt with in the aftermath of something like this is for mental health support to be provided at this time."

— Cameron Carr

Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief officer Jason Heffernan provided an update on the Longwood, Walwa and Ravenswood fires in Victoria.

He said the Longwood fire, which is about 100km north of Melbourne and the state's largest active blaze, was moving east after westerly winds swept across Victoria on Friday.

"It still is very much uncontained," he said.

Heffernan said the Walwa blaze, in the north-east, was still of concern.

Residents use a water tanker trailer to fight spot fires threatening a house during the Longwood bushfire in East Lockwood on Friday. Source: AAP / Michael Currie

"The frontal system still hasn't made its way into the area yet, it should just be starting to affect the fire ground as we speak," he said.

"The Walwa fire which has been travelling in a south-easterly direction for most of the night and morning, will now travel easterly and the warnings have been updated.

"People in that area, I need you to be really careful about which warning you are looking at and which direction you want to go, because we obviously don't want you to drive into the path of the fire."

He said the grass fire at Ravenswood, south of Bendigo, was travelling east and impacting the town of Harcourt after crossing the Calder Highway.

For the latest updates in Victoria, head to the VicEmergency website.

— Miles Proust

NSW Premier Chris Minns says it will be a challenging day for the state's health system as "incredibly hot" weather puts lives at risk.

Hot conditions and blustery winds are set to drive heightened fire risk across eastern NSW today, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting Sydney will reach a sweltering 43C and even higher temperatures likely across the city’s western suburbs.

"A lack of water on a 40-degree day could cost you your life, even if you are fit and well," Minns told reporters this morning.

The NSW Rural Fire Service warned of extreme fire danger across large parts of the state’s south-east, including greater Sydney, Illawarra Shoalhaven, the southern ranges, Monaro Alpine, the southern slopes and the ACT.

Total fire bans have been declared for those areas, along with the central ranges, greater Hunter and the far south coast.

— Cameron Carr

Emergency personnel have found a man's body in a vehicle while responding to bushfires in central Victoria.

However, police say his death is not believed to be directly related to the nearby Ravenswood South fires, which are burning south of Bendigo.

The man, believed aged in his 60s, was found unresponsive by fire authorities and ambulance personnel about 4.45pm on Friday.

"Police have been told the man’s vehicle was found in the paddock of his private property," Victoria Police said in a statement.

"At this early stage, the circumstances surrounding the man’s death are unknown however the death is not believed to be directly related to the nearby fire."

Police said local detectives were not able to attend the scene immediately due to the nearby fires, but they attended on Friday evening once the immediate area was deemed safe.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

— Miles Proust

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan spoke with ABC News to provide an update on the bushfire conditions.

She said there were 36 active fires across the state, with 19 emergency warning alerts for different locations.

"It gives you a sense of just how ongoing the difficulty, the danger that these fire fronts face over the course of today," she said.

"Yesterday was an extremely hot and windy day. Today continues to have a lot of wind, and in also in the northern parts of the state, continues to be quite hot, so there is another difficult day for the thousands of firefighters who are out there right now."

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan spoke with ABC News earlier today. Source: ABC News

She said the three people missing in the Longwood fire had still not been accounted for.

— Miles Proust

Early on Saturday morning, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan declared a state of disaster for 18 local government areas and one alpine resort.

The areas are:

• Alpine Shire
• Ararat Rural City
• Colac Otway Shire
• Corangamite Shire
• East Gippsland Shire
• Golden Plains Shire
• Greater Bendigo City
• Horsham Rural City
• Lake Mountain Alpine Resort (Unincorporated)
• Mansfield Shire
• Mildura Rural City
• Mitchell Shire
• Moira Shire
• Mount Alexander Shire
• Murrindindi Shire
• Pyrenees Shire
• Strathbogie Shire
• Towong Shire
• Wellington Shire

The declaration empowers the state government to compel the evacuation of residents, control movement, and possess private property in the declared areas.

— Miles Proust

Heatwave conditions have eased in Victoria after a cool change swept across the state on Friday evening.

However, NSW is bracing for extreme heat with a top of 43C forecast for Sydney. It's currently 32C in the city.

Large parts of south-east NSW are under an extreme fire danger rating. A total fire ban is in effect for those areas.

In Victoria, two bushfires are at emergency level. They are the Longwood fire, about 100km north of Melbourne, and the Walwa fire in the state's north-east.

Several other blazes are at watch and act level.

A statewide total fire ban is in place for Victoria today.

Emergency level advice is in effect for two blazes across Victoria. Source: VicEmergency

— Miles Proust

Welcome to our live coverage of the extreme heat and bushfire conditions in south-east Australia.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has declared a state of disaster for 18 local government areas, with two fires remaining at emergency level on Saturday morning, the highest danger rating, as the Country Fire Authority declared a total fire ban for the day.

Dozens of bushfires are still burning across Victoria and three people, including a child, remain unaccounted for after they went missing on Thursday afternoon.

We will continue to bring you the latest updates.

— Miles Proust